The Pull Of The B Listers

You put out your first single and then a few more and then the whole album. It hits. It connects. Momentum is building, doors are opening, things are finally happening.

And now your management and label want to get the next record made and released as soon as possible.

You say, ‘no problem’…you have a plan. Because beyond the ten songs on the first album you had ten more that were pretty solid but just didn’t make the cut…but they were good and you like them and there’s nothing wrong with them and…

And now, as the urgency escalates for new material those B list songs are starting to sound really good.

This is not a good plan. Not that an old song can’t be resurrected. But there’s a reason those songs ended up on the B list.

You need to write new A list material. And that’s hard. It took a long time to come up with the ten A list songs that went on that first album…and it would be so much easier to just release the ten B listers next…to sidestep that pain and agony and unknown. At least the B listers are familiar and you know what you’ve got.

Dig deep. Do better. Put in the work and dig out the gems.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

One More Song

Ladies and Gentlemen, We have one more song!!!

How is the audience suppose to respond? Cheer? Boo? Weep?

We have one more song is a confusing thing to tell the audience.

We have one more song gets said because it gets said…it’s in artists subconscious so it comes out without thinking. And there’s the issue, the not thinking, and not training yourself as a performer to have something better in your subconscious for the times when you’re not thinking.

Find something more creative, more true to the cause, more in line with the arc of your show….at the very least, something that isn’t confusing for the audience.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Personal Music

New Hum Love playlist on Spotify and Apple

Making music is very personal. It’s suppose to be. It can’t help but be.

But one of the trickiest things about releasing music is that the way people respond isn’t personal. They’re only responding to the beats and the chords and the melodies.

As much as you put yourself into the music, the music isn’t you. It may be a tiny little slice of you but it isn’t anywhere close to the whole you.

So when someone doesn’t like the music, rest easy, they’re not your enemy.

When someone does like the music be glad you could make and put out something into the world that someone else likes.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Things That Bug You

That really bug you. That bug you enough to do something about.

There are a million different things that bug billions of different people…so the bugs that stick out to you might be worth listening to. They’re your bugs. They just might be guiding you toward your proper path.

»» I’m going to be a day late on this month’s Hum Love playlist. My apologies. It’ll be out tomorrow.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Connection and Jealousy

Most people would say they share their post for the sake of connection…but what they’re really going for is jealousy.

After all, jealousy is what most of us feel when we scroll the latest posts. So we want to get in on that.

You probably have stuff that is worth posting and sharing. But your intent, what is really truly in your heart will always tint the lens toward the truth.

»» Ultimately you don’t get to decide (and don’t have control) whether someone feels connected or jealous when they see what you posted. But you can do your part. And you do get to decide what your intent.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

It's Easy To Listen To Great Music

With the advent of the wax cylinder, records, 8 tracks, cassettes, CDs and streaming…the number of people who have listened to great music is well into the billions.

And yet very few have converted the feeling of listening to great music into the act of writing great music.

Maybe it’s because the process of writing great music can’t be relied on to provide a great feeling. And that not-great feeling is a deterrent for almost everyone.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple